What if the Sunday morning service was OK, but the Monday through Saturday service was life-changing? What if the center of the church was Christ, and on the edges was the worship band and the order of events on Sundays? What if instead of worshipping our worship experience, we worshipped God? If my heart longs to serve, I am probably in true worship. If my heart longs to feel emotion from a song, I may need to ask what I’m worshipping. -Andrea Lucado
I recently read this article and it expressed what has been on my mind. Millions of people gather on Sunday mornings to worship God. In sanctuaries people stand, sing songs, maybe raise their hands, might even shed a tear, and then nod amen. They look at their watch to make sure the pastor is on time, listen to the benediction (maybe sneak out early), and quietly leave to go to their favorite restaurant. Some lives are radically changed on Sunday mornings, but more than not people leave unchanged and untouched. People have simply experienced an emotion for a moment, but not a transformation. The question is why? In order for us to really worship, not just experience an emotion; we have to be broken so the Holy Spirit can fill us up. "The Lord Jesus cannot live in us fully and reveal Himself through us until the proud self within us is broken. This means that the hard underlying self,which justifies itself, wants its own way, stands up for its rights, and seeks its own glory, at last bows its head to God's will, admits its wrong, gives up its own way to Jesus, surrenders it rights and discards its own glory"-Roy Hession.
In seminary my evangelism professor had some strong words for halfway doing God's work. He said, "Do not invite people to church." My eyes were wide and I was confused. However, he quickly gave the reasoning. He said, "when you as a Christian invite someone to church you are simply making yourself feel better, like you have accomplished something for God. In reality you have done nothing for God or that person because you did not tell them who Jesus was on the spot, and then invite them to church. Therefore, you did enough to make yourself feel like an adequate Christian, but not enough to make a difference for the Kingdom. So you have successfully put a check mark in Satan's corner." I just wonder if our worship is the same. Do we come to be recharged so we can pour our life out as a drink offering, or do we simply want to feel good about our self? Do we come because that is what we have always done, or because we want to be empowered? It is not good enough for you to merely enter through the door on Sunday morning. You have to be ready to commune with God. I tell my kids in kids worship "You can come to church every Sunday of your life and remain the same. Not because the Spirit is not present, but because your heart is not prepared."
Why do you come to worship? What are you like after worship? Are you more empowered to serve, to spread the Gospel, and meet people's needs? Do you walk out the door saying that was a great sermon, but sadly unchanged by the truth of God's Word.
Mathew 9:37 Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.
Please read the article DO You Worship Your Worship Experience? Click on the picture below.
I recently read this article and it expressed what has been on my mind. Millions of people gather on Sunday mornings to worship God. In sanctuaries people stand, sing songs, maybe raise their hands, might even shed a tear, and then nod amen. They look at their watch to make sure the pastor is on time, listen to the benediction (maybe sneak out early), and quietly leave to go to their favorite restaurant. Some lives are radically changed on Sunday mornings, but more than not people leave unchanged and untouched. People have simply experienced an emotion for a moment, but not a transformation. The question is why? In order for us to really worship, not just experience an emotion; we have to be broken so the Holy Spirit can fill us up. "The Lord Jesus cannot live in us fully and reveal Himself through us until the proud self within us is broken. This means that the hard underlying self,which justifies itself, wants its own way, stands up for its rights, and seeks its own glory, at last bows its head to God's will, admits its wrong, gives up its own way to Jesus, surrenders it rights and discards its own glory"-Roy Hession.
In seminary my evangelism professor had some strong words for halfway doing God's work. He said, "Do not invite people to church." My eyes were wide and I was confused. However, he quickly gave the reasoning. He said, "when you as a Christian invite someone to church you are simply making yourself feel better, like you have accomplished something for God. In reality you have done nothing for God or that person because you did not tell them who Jesus was on the spot, and then invite them to church. Therefore, you did enough to make yourself feel like an adequate Christian, but not enough to make a difference for the Kingdom. So you have successfully put a check mark in Satan's corner." I just wonder if our worship is the same. Do we come to be recharged so we can pour our life out as a drink offering, or do we simply want to feel good about our self? Do we come because that is what we have always done, or because we want to be empowered? It is not good enough for you to merely enter through the door on Sunday morning. You have to be ready to commune with God. I tell my kids in kids worship "You can come to church every Sunday of your life and remain the same. Not because the Spirit is not present, but because your heart is not prepared."
Why do you come to worship? What are you like after worship? Are you more empowered to serve, to spread the Gospel, and meet people's needs? Do you walk out the door saying that was a great sermon, but sadly unchanged by the truth of God's Word.
Mathew 9:37 Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.
Please read the article DO You Worship Your Worship Experience? Click on the picture below.
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